Aztec Two-Step at Danbury Palace

Published 5:10 pm, Thursday, December 26, 2013

Aztec Two-Step will perform a mix of holiday tunes and their own music at The Palace Danbury on Saturday, Dec. 28.

Aztec Two-Step will perform a mix of holiday tunes and their own music at The Palace Danbury on Saturday, Dec. 28.

Photo: Contributed Photo/Reg Bennett, Contributed Photo

Aztec Two-Step at Danbury Palace

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Aztec Two-Step is a step ahead of most folk-rock acts.

Formed by singer-songwriters Rex Fowler and Neal Shulman, the duo burst onto the music scene with a self-titled debut album released by Elektra Records in 1972. Ever since, the two musicians have been a staple of the folk-rock circuit. On Saturday, Dec. 28, at 8 p.m., the duo will perform at the Palace Theatre in Danbury. The holiday concert will feature some of Fowler and Shulman's favorite seasonal songs.

The duo takes its name from a poem by beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti. The combination of Fowler and Shulman's melodic acoustic guitar strumming and harmonies have led some to describe them as a cross between Simon and Garfunkel and James Taylor. "Baking" is among their well-known songs. Their upbeat music has a classic '60s sound, with a hint of southwestern Tex-Mex undertones.

In 1987, the duo's "Living in America" album received the New York Music Award for Best Folk Album and was named in Billboard's year-end critics' poll. In 1999 Aztec Two-Step was the subject of "No Hit Wonder," a documentary that aired on PBS.

In 2012, to commemorate the group's 40th anniversary year, the band released its 10th studio CD, "Cause and Effect," which is a collection of 16 socially conscious songs. Today the duo continues to delight old fans and attract new ones with intelligent songwriting, powerful guitar playing and show-stopping vocal harmonies.

The Second Advance, a local alternative rock band with pop-punk influences, will perform at the Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun on Sunday, Dec. 29, at 7 p.m. The gig is a reward for winning Mohegan Sun's Battle of the Bands last year. The group has been recording and playing shows throughout New England for the past five years and has released two full-length albums, which are available on iTunes. The group's new album, "What It Means to Be Human," is due out in March.

On Saturday, Dec. 28, local indie music fans can get their alt-rock groove on at the Heirloom Arts Theatre at 7 p.m. The Heirloom Arts Theatre and Dead Fresh Booking will present Exiting the Fall, White Fang and several other head-banging acts.

First Night Danbury, CityCenter's family-friendly, and alcohol-free New Year's Eve celebration, will take over downtown Danbury from 4 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31. During the course of the event there will be 30 acts and activities hosted at several downtown locations within easy walking distance of each other.

First Night offers more than 30 performances and activities over four hours. The event will feature a vaudeville show at the Palace Danbury starring ventriloquist Kenny Warren and his puppet sidekick, Leroy Cool. Warren is a veteran of NBC's "Last Comic Standing."

The event will also feature teen rock band Marmalade Sky, two DJs, Dave Wonsey's Drum Circle, the Easton Banjo Society, the New Hope Mass Choir and food truck fare on Liberty Street, which will keep First Night revelers well fed. The event will culminate in a grand finale at Library Plaza in front of the Danbury Library, featuring, music, juggling, giant puppets and ice sculptors.

Connecticut party band Pimpinella will be packing the dance floor at the Redding Roadhouse on Saturday, Dec. 28, at 9 p.m. Pimpinella is comprised of four seasoned musicians that have been in the business for more than 30 years. The group plays a mix of funk, disco, rock, reggae, R&B and blues, with an emphasis on improvisation and packing the dance floor.

Want your show to be considered for Backstage Pass? Are you a local artist who wants to be profiled? Send an email with all pertinent information about the band and the gig to Erik Ofgang at least two weeks before the show. Send it to erikofgang@gmail.com for consideration.